I learned two lessons from this excerpt. Never buy anything from Tipps and don't read this excerpt with anything in your mouth.
Irish lass, Nellis Flannigan wants to be an actress. She's grown up in a a town of less than 2000 and she's ready to move up in the world and play Shakespeare, but time's running out--she's 19 and they don't cast Juliet much older than that. But, just in case she gets too old for that role, she's also studying for Shylock. I'd really like to see this version of "Merchant of Venice." I have no clue who they'd cast as Portia with Nellie as Shylock, but it'd be a riot.
After getting fired from Tipps, she's decided to go to Paris and she's asked her parents for the funds. Her Mom had secretarial school in mind--she wanted her to have a 'nice' life and Paris, well:
"But stuff like me going to Paris to be an actress is in the realm of the Pope having his belly button pierced and tangoing out the Mass."
Sure and you can hear the brogue in this excerpt. It's funny. Nellie's so young and so in love with her dream and her family--especially Aunt Nora, is a riot. This excerpt is well worth reading for the laugh value of the descriptions of Tipps merchandise alone.
I was a bit confused on when the infamous firing actually took place, but the general facts of the story are there. I'd still be reading if the excerpt wasn't over.
I'll raise a glass of stout tea to Brigitte Downey for her ABNA Top 100 position and offer her an Irish blessing for success.
